Betsy Gotbaum

Betsy Gotbaum was honored for her work to foster compliance with the Maternity Information Act, which requires hospitals and birthing centers to distribute to every maternity patient, at pre-booking, informational material containing definitions and statistics regarding maternity procedures at the facility, including the annual rate of cesarean sections, the annual percentage of births utilizing induction of labor and other procedures performed in connection with childbirth.

Over the past three decades, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum has led a distinguished career in the public and private sectors. She has worked as advisor to three mayors; financial executive developing capital for start-up entrepreneurial firms; Executive Director of The New York City Police Foundation; Commissioner of the Department of Parks & Recreation; and President of the prestigious New York Historical Society. In all her jobs, Ms. Gotbaum has been known for using nontraditional methods to turn troubled institutions into success stories.

Since Ms. Gotbaum was first elected Public Advocate in 2001, her leadership has paved the way for municipal reform in education, school construction, prevention of crime against women, and the fight against hunger. Additionally, each week she helps solve hundreds of city-service complaints made by residents and business owners. She was reelected in 2005.

Childbirth Connection is a national not-for-profit organization founded in 1918 as Maternity Center Association. Our mission is to improve the quality of maternity care through research, education, advocacy and policy. Childbirth Connection promotes safe, effective and satisfying evidence-based maternity care and is a voice for the needs and interests of childbearing families.